DAILY DIGEST, 6/1: Major cyberattack on Israeli water systems foreshadows future dangers to infrastructure; In wake of global shutdowns, researchers expect water quality to improve; 2,000 attend Klamath rally demanding answer to water problems; and more …

In California water news today …

Major cyberattack on Israeli water systems foreshadows future dangers to infrastructure:  “Israel thwarted a major cyberattack on its water systems last month, the country’s national cyber chief Yigal Unna confirmed last week. The attack, which occurred in April, would have allowed chlorine and other chemicals to mix into the country’s water supplies in unsafe proportions.   “If the bad guys had succeeded in their plot, we would now be facing, in the middle of the corona crisis, very big damage to the civilian population and a lack of water and even worse than that,” Unna explained in a video address to the CybertechLive Asia conference. Israeli’s National Cyber Directorate released a brief statement when the attack was detected, but last week’s announcement was the first official discussion of the event. … ”  Read more from Circle of Blue here:  HotSpots H2O: Major Cyberattack on Israeli Water Systems Foreshadows Future Dangers to Infrastructure

In wake of global shutdowns, researchers expect water quality to improve:  “Researchers have mapped declines in air pollution after lockdowns were imposed around the world in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but those are not the only environmental impacts they expect to see. They think the cleaner air could also mean cleaner water – at least in the short term.  “The connection between atmosphere and surface water quality is very tight,” said Dennis Hallema, a hydrologist and research assistant professor in NC State’s Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources. “These two systems are integrally linked. The question is: How much of a change in quality do we expect to see?” … ”  Read more from Smart Water Magazine here:  In wake of global shutdowns, researchers expect water quality to improve

2,000 attend Klamath rally demanding answer to water problems:  “By the thousands, they rolled through the Southern Oregon countryside in tractors, hay trucks, log trucks, pickups and minivans, their hand-painted signs greeted by supportive passers-by who agreed with the message of Friday’s “Shut Down and Fed Up” rally: the water problems that for decades have plagued the region and its farmers must be resolved.  The problem has been around for decades.  … ”  Read more from the Capital Press here: 2,000 attend Klamath rally demanding answer to water problems

Water glitch not stopping Trinidad Rancheria hotel:  “The Trinidad Rancheria is forging ahead its with plans to build a five-story, 100-room hotel near its casino, despite the City of Trinidad’s reluctance to provide additional water for the facility.  “The hotel project is alive and well and it’s moving forward,” Trinidad Rancheria Chief Executive Officer Jacque Hostler-Carmesin told the Trinidad City Council at a May 21 special meeting. … ”  Read more from the Mad River Union here: Water glitch not stopping Trinidad Rancheria hotel

Amador County: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation continues Mule Creek pollution in defiance of order:  “The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) is using storms to dump a mixture of industrial waste, sewage, gray water, and stormwater containing Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and Semivolatile Organic Compounds (SVOCs) into Mule Creek, violating direct orders to cease and desist from the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) that regulates the CDCR and the Mule Creek State Prison (MCSP) facility.  On May 15, 2020, Amador County Counsel sent a 60-day notice of its intention to sue CDCR with regard to violations of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, commonly known as the Clean Water Act (CWA). The county alleges that CDCR is engaging in ongoing violations of the CWA by discharging pollutants from MCSP into Mule Creek, without a permit, as is required by the CWA. ... ”  Read more from the Amador Ledger-Dispatch here:  California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation continues Mule Creek pollution in defiance of order

Central Basin Municipal Water District could be placed in receivership:  “California state Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) introduced legislation this week authorizing the Water Replenishment District of Southern California (WRD) to take control of the Central Basin Municipal Water District (Central Basin), a move that would dissolve Central Basin’s board of directors and put the distressed agency in receivership because “(t)he problems at the district  . . . cannot be resolved by the district board as currently constituted.”  As stated in the proposed legislation, Central Basin’s board of directors has a history of “poor leadership, decision-making, and oversight” which continues in spite of recent legislation which made changes to the District’s governance. … ”  Read more from the Downey Patriot here:  Central Basin Municipal Water District could be placed in receivership

Raw sewage flowing into the Tijuana River brings toxic sludge to California:  “The term “crisis on the border” typically refers to immigration issues or drugs being smuggled into the country. But it has one more meaning, as we discovered, when we went to the border in early February: tens of millions of gallons of raw sewage that spill every year into the Tijuana River on the Mexican side and flow across the border right into Southern California, polluting the land, air, and sea.  Mexico and the United States each thinks the other should be doing more to clean it up, with no effective solution found on either side of the border for decades. ... ”  Read more from CBS News here:  Raw sewage flowing into the Tijuana River brings toxic sludge to California

Commentary: We’re finally seeing support for fixing the Tijuana sewage crisis. Now let’s see some action.  Serge Dedina writes, “When many coastal cities in San Diego County reopened beaches on April 27 for limited but much needed active recreational activities on the sand and in the sea, the residents of south San Diego County were once again left without access to the Pacific Ocean. San Diego County had issued a water contact closure for the county’s southern shoreline because more than 60 million gallons of raw sewage and toxic waste flowed through the Tijuana River and into the Pacific every day.  … However, despite increasing sewage flows in the Tijuana River, I am optimistic that a solution is finally in sight. … ”  Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune here:  Commentary: We’re finally seeing support for fixing the Tijuana sewage crisis. Now let’s see some action.

This week in water:Forests have been getting shorter and younger over the past 50 years and that might have broad impacts on global ecosystems.  A nonprofit wants to turn the tide on climate change by turning beaches green.  Less snow could fall in North America by the end of the century unless greenhouse gas emissions are curbed.  Cyclones may be fueling global warming.  Lyme disease and COVID-19 have similar symptoms—don’t mistake them.”  Listen to podcast or read stories here:  This week in water

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Weekend edition …

This weekend in California water news …

  • Westlands Water District is again eyeing San Joaquin River water;
  • Here’s how California’s water laws were made;
  • DWR scientist uses COVID-19 diagnostic testing technology to help protect endangered fish species;
  • FERC issues declaratory order finding waiver of State Section 401 authority;
  • Embedding agriculture in nature is beneficial for biodiversity and business;
  • With $3 billion PFAS cleanup price tag looming, Pentagon looks to industry for ideas;
  • California’s toxic gold mining legacy;
  • Making their point: Tractor, truck procession decries cutback in Klamath water;
  • San Luis Obispo County weighs fallowing program for Paso basin farmers;
  • Alternative desalination project to be studied for Doheny beach;
  • Arizona Department of Water Resources and Audubon agree to funding plan to conserve Colorado River water;
  • and more …
Click here to read the Weekend Daily Digest.

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Also on Maven’s Notebook today …

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Image credit: CA streamflow assessment map, courtesy of Belize Lane.   From this paper: Lane, B. A., Dahlke, H. E., Pasternack, G. B., & Sandoval‐Solis, S. (2017). Revealing the diversity of natural hydrologic regimes in California with relevance for environmental flows applications. JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association53(2), 411-430.

About the Daily Digest: The Daily Digest is a collection of selected news articles, commentaries and editorials appearing in the mainstream press. Items are generally selected to follow the focus of the Notebook blog. The Daily Digest is published every weekday with a weekend edition posting on Sundays.
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